One song.
That’s what Moncton pop musician Tyler Hache gets this Saturday to impress the people who could push his career to the next level.
He is one of ten artists from across the country that has been selected to perform at ole Music Publishing’s “On The Spot” showcase.
While travelling such a great distance for three minutes of stage time may seem outlandish to some, the showcase may prove to be the opportunity of a lifetime for the 20 year-old singer-songwriter: The grand prize is a package consisting of studio time, tour support, and a variety other perks, valued at more than $40,000.
Although Hache is unsure of the total number of acts that were entered into the competition, he realizes that making the Top 10 is no small feat. Perhaps the most ironic thing about having secured his position as a finalist is the fact that he believed he was so late in throwing his hat into the ring.
“I’ve been following ole on Facebook for quite some time, ” Hache says. “They are a company that seemed to focus a significant amount of time and effort on independent artists. I came across a post for their ‘On The Spot’ competition, which advertised itself as offering the possibility of showcasing at the Canadian Country Music Association Week in London. The first time I saw the post, however, it had already been shared by hundreds of people, which was a little intimidating at first, but then I decided I had nothing to lose and submitted an entry.”
The rules of the competition stipulated that entrants had to submit video links of them performing an original song as well as one song culled from a pre-determined list of ole-affiliated artists and songs.
Hache’s submission included his original song “Scared Like This” as well as the required cover song. His choice? Chris Stapleton’s track “Fire Away.”
Although Hache may not have all that much in common with Grammy Award winner Stapleton on a musical level, the Moncton resident sees parallels of a different sort.
“I definitely see myself as a writer first and a performer second,” he says, referencing Stapleton’s years of songwriting behind the scenes before he ultimately stepped into spotlight. “I love singing and performing, but it has always been about the song for me.”
As opposed to a record label that markets and sells artists, music publishers are in the business of selling songs. Founded in 2004, ole has become one of the world’s biggest independent music publishers with a catalogue of more than 50,000 songs from artists as diverse as Canadian prog-rock heroes Rush, R&B superstar producer Timbaland, country music’s George Canyon, and more.
Hache has been a force to be reckoned with since first appearing on the Moncton music scene just a few short years ago. A classically-trained guitarist by trade, he has cut his teeth in many of Metro Moncton’s pubs, which also landing high profile showcase opportunities at the East Coast Music Awards. Earlier this year, Hache represented the province of New Brunswick in CBC’s Searchlight competition.
His most recent studio effort, Silent, was released in November 2015.
If all goes well this coming Saturday, Hache could find himself aligned with ole, but even if he doesn’t return to Moncton as the winner, he is still looking forward to embracing the opportunity he is being given this weekend.
“To have the chance to get in front of industry executives and hopefully make some new contacts is priceless. Whatever happens, I’m being given an amazing opportunity. I look forward to making the most of it.”
https://youtu.be/knQvdWUKZ-w